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How to Use Automatic Hand Dryers Correctly & Avoid Spreading Germs

High-speed hand dryers can be very hygienic, but are you using them correctly?

Studies underline how pushing your hands straight into an air-curtain hands-in dryer isn’t the best move. The Jidō Kansō move, developed by Mitsubishi Electric, will ensure you are drying your hands in the fasted possible time, and as effectively as possible in terms of hygiene.

Public bathrooms can turn anyone into a germophobe. Many of us even opt to ‘hold-on a bit longer’ rather than use a public bathroom. If we really must go, we try to avoid touching surfaces and escape as fast as possible. It’s not uncommon to see people wiping hands on their own clothes or run away with wet hands.

When using “hands-in” high-speed hand dryers, we’ve been taught to insert the hands from the top and move them up and down. You might have noticed that this movement pushes the water up your arm, eventually getting your sleeves all wet. Bacteria and germs survive in water, so it is much better to leave with dry hands.

Figure 1. Study and video underline how pushing your hands straight into a hands-in dryer isn’t the best move.

There is a better way to use high-speed hand dryers for maximum hygiene

Luckily, Mitsubishi Electric engineers have been working hard for over 20 years to make their hand dryers as safe and clean as possible. To illustrate how to make the most of the Jet Towel hand dryer’s design and improve our overall washroom hygiene, the company in the UK has turned to the brand’s home country Japan and its martial arts heritage.

Together with a 6th degree black belt martial arts instructor Matt Ballard they developed the Jidō Kansō movement* to show us all how to dry our hands in the most effective way.

The simple movement ensures that:

1. Hands are fully dried – in a shorter amount of time

2. Water and germs are not scattered

3. Atmospheric Bacteria are killed by the Jet Towel’s antibacterial plastic and filters

Figure 2. Using the right moves, your hands are dried faster, and hygiene is greatly improved.

Master Jidō Kansō with the Jet Towel Slim hygienic hand dryer

Follow these simple steps to learn the art of hand drying with Jet Towel Slim in 9 seconds:

But what if there is a “hands-under” Jet Towel Smart model?

You can still do the Jidō Kansō movement with a “hands-under” hygienic hand dryer. In this case, the move should be performed horizontally, with the hands drawing circles under the automatic hand dryer and turning them over once. The design of the Smart model then ensures that the water is pushed onto a small surface underneath the hand dryer, keeping the surrounding area free of water.

Figure 4. You can still do the Jidō Kansō movement under a Jet Towel Smart.

With Jidō Kansō you can be sure that you’re as clean as possible every time you dry your hands with Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towels.